New Accredited Employer Work Visa Changes

Starting 10 March 2025, changes to the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) will help businesses hire skilled migrant workers. Key changes include:

• Less work experience required for migrant workers - You now need 2 years

  relevant work experience instead of 3 years.

• Longer visa duration for lower skilled workers – Low skilled workers in ANZSCO

  skill level 4 or 5 roles will be eligible for a 3 year AEWV instead of 2 years. Workers

  on an existing 2 year AEWV will be able to apply for a further 1 year AEWV subject

  to eligibility.

• Remove median wage requirement - From 10 March 2025, employers can pay

the New Zealand market rate instead of the median wage allowing more flexibility

for businesses to attract overseas talent. This change does not impact existing

visa holders who must continue to be paid in line with their employment

agreements and visa conditions.

• Increased income threshold to support dependent children - Accredited

  Employer Work Visa holders will need to earn at least NZ$55,844 per year to

  support dependents instead of NZ$43,322.76.

• Note: Children's visas already supported by an AEWV will still follow the previous

income rate of NZD$43,322.76 per year. This ensures they can stay in New

Zealand if their parent meets the old but not the new income threshold.

• Amending requirement to engage with the Ministry of Social Development – Lower skilled ANZSCO skill level 4 or 5 roles will switch to an employer declaration based model. This declaration of recruitment allows employers to streamline the recruitment process.

• Reclassification of skill levels - Some roles currently considered low skilled,

  ANZSCO skill Level 4 or 5 will be reclassified as ANZSCO skill Level 3.

• Work Rights for applicants on Interim Visa - From April 2025, eligible applicants will be able to work on an interim visa while their AEWV application is processed.

  These include:

• 
  

+ AEWV applicants on any work visa or student visa allowing work during term time to be granted an Interim Visa with work rights.

+ Time spent on an interim visa with work rights will be calculated towards a migrant’s maximum continuous stay allowed on an AEWV.

+ Time spent on an interim visa with work rights can be used towards work experience for work to residence pathways.

• Wage changes to support partners - AEWV holders who want to support a partner will need to earn at least NZD$26.85 per hour.

For more information about these changes or to find out how they affect you or your employees, contact emma@ blueskymigration.com